One-way bike rental

A friend and I want to do this ride from Buffalo to Albany or vice versa on our own. I live on the West Coast and instead of shipping/flying with my bike and having to assemble/disassemble it, does anyone know how I could rent a bike in the starting city and return it in the ending city?

I have no first had knowledge on rentals. If you use the search function at the top of this page and type in "rental" you'll find many past posts on this topic.

Nina: I would call bike shops in Buffalo or Albany and see if they do it. I suspect if they do it, it might be pricey as they have to come and collect the bikes 380 miles away. Might actually be cheaper to bring your own bike (as much as shipping and assembling bikes sucks).

Let us know your findings ok? This question comes up from time to time.

Good luck,
John

I do know there are shuttles that could return you and your bikes. I’m certain this will be easier for you to find this service as opposed finding one way bike rentals.

One of the previous posts on the topic suggested buying a bike and selling it at the end. At the time I hadn't considered a used bike, but if you considered that option, finding something on Marketplace could be reasonable (whether you sell it at the end or not). You could arrange the purchase ahead of time and have it waiting for you. I'd consider a day to tune (or schedule to have it tuned) and get it ready for the trip -- take into consideration what you are using to carry gear, etc. You could pack things like pump, tube, etc. ahead of time.

Other than that, catch this... Campus Wheelworks, a long time bike shop in Buffalo, highly rated and quite involved in the Bflo biking community does rent bikes (I visited their website). Copied from:

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Here at Campus, we offer high quality bike rentals. Our fantastic rental bikes are available in multiple styles and sizes so you can choose one that is best suited for your own personal adventure, be it a fat bike in the winter, road bikes for riding your triathlon or century, mountain bikes to hit the trails, or something to cruise the sights of Buffalo. Locks are included with rentals if desired, as are flat fix kits and helmets.
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Here's what that will cost you (although you may be able to negotiate a weekly rental price).
Rental Bike Pricing:
$15: 1 hour
$50: 24 hours
$25: additional day after the first 24 hours

Then there's the logistics of getting it back unless there is some type of shuttle service.

You can find a decent bike on Marketplace for $150! LOL
(and if you did I'd consider helping you out if needed... I think!)

Ship your bike with Bike Flight to Dick Bike Shop in Tonawanda. They will put it together and have it ready for you. We have used them three times, great service. Albany bike shops will do the same. Call Dick's to let him know you are shipping bikes and date you need them ready. REI will pack and ship for you, allow two weeks.

I registered for the 2022 event. So excited! I found a couple of shops that rent bikes. Of course I'd have to shuttle/Amtrak back to Buffalo to return it. Has anyone else rented a bike for this tour yet? I'm weighing the costs of shipping my bike vs. renting. Thanks for any advice!

Nina, did you mean you registered for the “Cycle the Erie Canal” event? If so, I know you can pay a fee for the shuttles they arrange to get your bike and luggage back to Buffalo. I did that and it was a really smooth operation. Pretty much everyone except SAG people with vans do the same Just bring your bike to the truck(s) at the end of the ride and collect it when you get back to Buffalo after you hop off the bus.

John